Filler for egg-cases.



C. P. DALY.

FILLER FOR EGG CASES.

APPLICATION HLED MAR. 1?. 1914.

Patented Apr. 6, 1915;

THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. FHOTO-L!1H0.. WASHING mu, 1: c

CHARLES P. DALY, on NEW YoRmn. Y.

FILLER FOR EGG-CASESL Specification of Letters Patent;

Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

Application filed March 17, 1914. Serial N 0. 825,263.

To all whom it ma concern:

Be it known t at I, CHARLES P. DALY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in thecounty and State ofNew York, have invented anew and Improved Filler for Egg-Gases, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to fillers for egg cases or carriers and more particularly to an improved double-walled filler of such construction that shocks incident to the shipping and handling of eggs or like fragile articles will not cause the breakage or injury thereto as is now commonly caused.

A further object of the invention is to construct a novel filler for egg cases or the like in which the filler is made up of double walls locked together in a novel manner so as to prevent displacement of the walls which traverse each other, whereby the filler sections may be lifted or handled without falling apart, while the ends of the walls are connected together in such a manner as to space the walls apart adjacent to each cell and thus provide cushions to protect the articles placed therein.

A further object of the invention is to so construct the double-walled filler that the ends of the walls will contact with the interior walls of the case or box and by making the filler sections longer or wider than the case or box, said walls adjacent to the cells provided thereby will be expanded to form substantially diamond-shaped spaces which may be filled with excelsior or other padding for further protecting the contents, it being also an object to provide novel partitions between the fillers to further insure protection to the eggs or articles carried.

WVith the above and other objects in view, the invention resides in the peculiar combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed, it being also an object to provide a device which is simple in construction, durable and efficient in operation and not likely to get out of order.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of refer- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a case or box with the improved filler therein, a partitlon or top covering. being broken away to show the filler; Fig. 2 is across sectional.

view of the structurejshown in Fig. 1 with the cover of the box closed'g-Fig, 3 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of a filler in position in a case or box the portion of the filler being shown folded in dotted lines; Fig. 4c is a perspective view showing the manner of assembling two adjacent end por tions forming the outer walls of the filler; Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the parts assembled; and Fig. 61is a sectional view showing the manner of connecting the ends of two strips forming a wall.

As shown, the improved filler- 10 is made up of a series of double walls 11 each comprising a pair of strips or sections .12 and 13, respectively, of relatively stiff and flexible or pliable-pasteboard or the like. These strips are of such widths as to accord with the heights of the eggs or articles of fragile nature which are to be carried or transported and are of such lengths as to necessitate portions thereof being spaced apart in order to be accommodated between the walls of an egg case or box in which the filler or fillers are disposed. Each section or strip is provided at spaced intervals to accord with the sizes of the cells to be provided for the reception of the eggs or articles to be carried, with means to permit the sections or strips to be connected or locked together in pairs and in such a manner that the fillers can be raised by grasping any of the sections or strips thereof. As a preferred form oflocking or connecting means the strips 12, which are extended in one direction, are provided at suitable spaced points and at spaced distances from their ends, with vertical slots 14 of narrow width and totally inclosed by the material ofthe strips, while at spaced points therebeneath vertical slots or openings 15 are provided, the same communicating by severedportions or cuts 16 with openings or notches 17 communicating with the bottom edges of the strips. The openings ofthe pairs of sections or strips forming the double walls of the filler are disposed in alinement and the extensions 18 beyond the end openings are fastened together or connected as by means of fasteners or eyelet rivets 19.

The sections or strips 13 of the double Walls extending transversely to the aforesaid walls, are provided with the same arrangement of openings reversely positioned so that the openings or notches l7 communicate with their upper edges, whereby when the parts are assembled they are disposed in the relative position shown in Fig. at of the drawings. By moving the walls of the filler together vertically in opposite directions the notches 17 will permit the initial interfitting thereof and the severedportions 16 will allow the intermediate extensions 20 to pass into the openings 15 of the opposed walls, while continued movement of the parts will result in the passage of the intermediate portions or walls 21 through the severed portions or slits 16 so as to bring the extensions or tongues 20 into alinement with the openings 1%, the intermediate walls 21 into the openings 15 and the intermediate portions 22 into the notches 17. In this manner when the sections of the walls are forced together in such a manner as to cause the extensions 20 to pass into the openings 1a, the top and bottom edges of the extensions and intermediate portions will prevent vertical displacement of the walls formed by the pairs of sections vertically with respect to each other.

T he parts will be considerably strength ened and further held from displacement due to the construction of the walls of two sections or strips secured together near their ends in the manner specified, and by allowing for the flexibility of the material or creasing the strips or sections vertically and equi-distantly between the spaced rows of openings as shown at 23, when the filler is complete and the extremities of the walls will project outwardly and the intermediate portions will be expanded or pressed outwardly with respect to the horizontal longitudinal center of each wall so as to provide substantially diamond-shaped spaces 24 andcells 25 arranged in rows for the reception of the eggs or other fragile articles, as heretofore described. By spacing the intermediate portions apart they will be allowed to move toward each other or collapse slightly, depending upon the resistance offered by the material, and as the walls are made longer than any interior dimension of the case in the direction in which they are disposed, the extremities of the walls will contact with the inner faces of the box and thus hold said intermediate portions more positively spaced apart. In this manner a very desirable cushioning action is accomplished, but if desired the spaces 24 can be filled with excelsior or other padding 2st as shown in Fig. 1 to offer a greater resistance and more positively resist the collapsing of the expanded portions, although shocks will be transmitted to a greater degree than without such padding.

It will be understood that any number of the fillers are to be used, but in Figs. 1 and 2 a box or case 26 constructed of suitably rigid material to protect the contents and provided with a cover 27 is illustrated, with a filler disposed therein with the ends of the walls engaging the inner faces of the walls of the box, and it will be observed that the intermediate portions of the outer strips or sections are also spaced from the surrounding walls of the boX to further carry out the objects of the invention. Also as is more clearly shown in Fig. 3 the cells for receiving the eggs or other articles 28 indicated in dotted lines, are shaped in plan or horizontal cross section like a four-pointed star, but more particularly the side walls of the cells, due to their expansion, provide four points of contact for the articles disposed in the cells, thus allowing a maximum amount of resiliency and permitting the shipment or carrying of the goods in such a manner as to reduce the danger of breaking thereof to a minimum.

In order to further cushion the articles, partitions 29 are provided above and below the fillers, such partitions embodying spaced top and bottom sheets 30 preferably of pasteboard with intermediate strips 31 and 32 located at spaced distances and disposed in parallel relation so as to intercept each other at right angles and provide intermediate cushioning spaces 33 disposed in alinement with the cells above and below the latter. As the top and bottom sheets will be spaced apart at these points, which are in contact with the articles contained in the cells, injury to the latter will be further prevented. In Figs. 1 and 2 these partitions are shown on the top and bottom of the filler, but as the fillers may be disposed one upon the other, as for instance in an egg case, the partitions will be disposed between the pairs of fillers and in this manner serve as supports for the eggs the same as the bottom partition in the illustration. The fillers, by reason of their interlocking connections and the joining of the sections or strips forming the walls thereof can be collapsed in the manner of ordinary single wall fillers as shown in dotted lines Fig. 3 and the additional space occupied thereby above that occupied by the ordinary filler when folded will be practically negligible and particularly if the padding is not employed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is p 1. The combination with a case; of a filler therefor, said filler comprising interlocking spaced parallel walls each embodying a pair of strips bent in angular form and disposed in contact at the points of connection of the walls and expanded to formdiamond-shaped spaces at intermediate points between said points of contact and the walls of the cells produced thereby, said walls beyond their outer connections having extensions, and means for securing said extensions together, all of said walls being of a length greater than the interior dimension of the case in the direction in which they are extended, whereby engagement of the ends of the walls will positively hold the expanded parts in spaced relation, whereby breakage of articles carried in the cells is prevented.

2. In a filler for egg cases, comprising a double walled structure, the walls of said structure being disposed in intersecting relation to form cells, said walls being movable with respect to each other at the points of intersection thereof and open angularly in opposite directions between the intersecting points to form cushions adapted to permit total collapsing of the filler and to automatically cause the expansion thereof and separation of the angularly bent portions in opposite directions when the filler is applied to a case.

8. A filler for egg cases, comprising a double Walled structure, said double walls being disposed in intersecting relation to form cells, said walls being scored vertically centrally between the intersecting parts to cause the walls of each cell to automatically bend inwardly when the filler is disposed in a box of smaller dimensions than the filler in plan, thus forming flexible cushions.

4. A filler comprising a double walled structure, each wall comprising a plurality of sections connected adjacent their ends, the sections of each of said walls having at spaced points an inclosed vertical opening, an opening vertically alined therewith and a notch in one edge in alinement with said openings and communicating with the sec ond named opening through a severed portion, and other sections interlocking with said first named sections through the medium of said openings and notches, said sections which are connected being correspondingly formed transversely.

5. A filler comprising rows of walls movably secured together at right angles, each wall consisting of two sections with angularly bent and spaced cushion forming parts between the points of connection of the walls and means connecting the sections against vertical displacement and permitting folding of the filler thus produced to a relatively fiat condition, when the sections will move together at said cushion forming parts.

a. A collapsible filler or the class deconsisting of two sections connected together solely near their ends and having adjacent parts oppositely expanded in angular relation to provide cushions between the rows of walls and four points of contact for articles placed in the cells thus produced, said parts being designed to contact when the filler is collapsed.

7. A collapsible filler comprising walls traversing one another to provide rows of compartments with angularly bent and I spaced cushion forming parts between the points where the walls traverse each other, each wall embodying two strips having alined openings providing intermediate engaging portions and extensions forming locking means for the sections, the openings of the interlocking walls being reversely disposed whereby the parts are secured together by movement one on the other vertically, the extremities of the strips constituting each wall being anchored against movement to cause the angularly bent portions of the outer strips to be spaced from the surround ing walls of a box or case. said locking means preventing separation of the walls, and partitions above and below the interlocking walls. I

8. The combination with a case; of a filler therefor, said filler comprising interlocking spaced parallel walls each embodying a pair of strips anchored against independent movement at their ends but being freely separated therebetween, said strips being bent in angular form and disposed in contact at the points of connection of the walls, said filler when placed in the case being adapted to automatically expand to form substantially diamond-shaped spaces at intermediate points between said points of contact and the walls of the cells produced thereby.

9. The combination witha case; of a filler therefor, said filler being of larger dimensions than the interior dimensions of the case and comprising interlocking spaced parallel walls each embodying a pair of strips secured at equidistantly spaced points vertically whereby the scored portions of adjacent strips are in alinement to permit the free separation of said strips at such points in angular relation and said strips being disposed in contact at the points of connection of the walls and expanded to form cells at intermediate points between said points of contact and the walls of the cells produced thereby, whereby said angularly bent portions will produce four cushions with a In testimony whereof I have signed my corresponding number of contact points for name to this specification in the presence of 10 the articles placed in the cells, said Walls at two subscribing Witnesses.

their points of connection being held from 7 displacement and having projecting ends CHARLES DAL-ll adapted to contact With the interior Walls of Witnesses:

the case to hold said expanded portions in JOHN E. Boson, & spaced relation but permit flexibility thereof. PHILIP D. RoLLHAUs.

Copies of this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

